


Sealed Cracks

by Spoiler1001



Series: Sfw reaper chronicles [6]
Category: Rockman X | Mega Man X
Genre: Anger, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Partner Betrayal, Post-Betrayal, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Self-Hatred, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-16
Updated: 2016-12-16
Packaged: 2018-09-08 21:38:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8863066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spoiler1001/pseuds/Spoiler1001
Summary: Relationships are hard. Being in one with an assassin is even harder. Being forced to walk away from a happy relationship is an herculean feat.





	

Zero was surprised when he arrived to a room with no decoration besides a throne in the middle of the room. It wasn’t the throne that threw him off, but who was in it.  
  
“Reaper.” Zero said in a monotone pitch.  
  
Her poster was relaxed. Her legs where crossed at the ankle and her clothes were in pristine condition. Her blue jeans were spotless, clear of all the doodles she would sketch on them when she was bored. Her tank top fit her perfectly, not having the stretch and shiny that a washing machine and a dryer would wear. Her jacket was stiff, lacking the give that wear would have. Her shoes, weren’t even muddy.  


“I’m not even worth my actual name?” She asked, her voice giving out and her having to barely whisper to him. Her face had a large bruise on it, the edges turning yellow with infection and she had a black eye, it being fresh on her, just formed.  


"You left us to go back to a Isoc, who’s no better than a terrorist!” Zero snapped, his anger flaring up in an emotional response.  
  
“‘Us’ who exactly did I leave?” She laughed, the pitiful sound being a mix of a mournful howl and a wounded yip- with a dash of pained groans.  
  
“Doesn’t matter. Where’s Isoc?” Zero asked’ stepping closer to her and Reaper didn't budge. Zero was soon right in front of her and had his blade ready for anything.

 

“He's in the next room.” She whispered without even hesitating. “And Zero for what it's worth, I enjoyed being with you and the maverick hunters and I'm sorry that it ended like this.” She smiled wistfully and listened to him walk away.

 

Zero knew that something wasn't right. Those bruises weren't right, normally when she's injured, she heals near instantly, her injuries maybe leaving a scar.

 

Zero would ask, but he's to fuming to even think right now. Zero slashed through a door and in his arrogant need to be a show off Isoc was waiting for him in a room with various portraits, most of them of a man with a bald head and a large white mustache. The grin in the photo unnerved him greatly. Especially the familiarity of the grin.

 

“Zero, my boy it's been a long time.” Isoc grinned.

 

“Not nearly long enough.” Zero growled.

 

Isoc was near a computer with a wavelength displayed on its monitor.

 

“What's the signal for?” Zero asked impatient.

 

“I promised Reaper I would stop the nanites from destroying or corrupting her into a maverick, and Well,” Isoc sneered as he twisted a dial upwards. “It won't bother her after this.”

 

A scream echoed from behind Zero.  

 

“I'm disappointed. You are the greatest robot ever built and you waste your time consorting with light bots.” Isoc smirked.

 

“I don't recall caring if you approve or not.” Zero said sizing him up.

 

“of course not, you don't care about anything, that's why you came to rip apart anything in your way.” Isoc glowed with pride. “You're some of my best work.”

 

“I don't care. I'm just here to stop you, at the point, preferably very slowly.” Zero raised an eyebrow, forgetting that his helmet goes over his eyebrows. His cold blue eyes were glaring up at Isoc, Absolutely contempt in his eyes.

 

“You know it's shit this like this that forced me to put you in that suspension chamber in the the first place.” Isoc said casually. Zero blinked in surprise. The tension  of the room built until the pressure snapped. Zero dashed across the room, but never made it across.

 

A wire had tethered itself to Zero. It's hook was embedded into his back and was pulling against something inside that was keeping him in place. Zero jerked back and tried to lean against it, but he wound up hunching his back. Oil, dark red oil leaked out from the wound and from his mouth. It even stained his hair.

 

“That's cheap. If you say you built me you should be able to take me on.” Zero smirked in pain.

 

“If you could believe it, that's what Forte said.” Isoc said, standing to face Zero, but due to his height, he had to bend down to look Zero in the eye. “Damn boy never learned any respect.”

 

“You never earned it.” a feminine voice rang out interrupting Isoc’s torturing. It was faint and pained. Isoc looked up and cocked his head to the side. She had a bad limp and was gripping her side like she was going to fall apart right there.

 

“Normally I would agitate the very things keeping you alive, but…” Isoc laughed.

 

“Yes it would be redundant wouldn't it be?” She said, giving a mirthless smile. She pulled a gun from her waist and twirled off the safety, aiming at Isoc.

 

“Can you even see me right now?” Isoc backed away from Zero and raised an eyebrow.

 

“To be honest everything's a gray fuzz, but I can figure out where you are because you won't shut up.” She smiled a bit more genuinely.

 

“So you don't like him?” Zero asked sarcastically.

 

“No, it's hard to find charm in endless torture.” She responded in a light tone.

 

Isoc rolled his eyes. Stepping forward, he made a very dull thump.

 

Reaper raised an eyebrow. “There you are” Reaper fired a shot, a green beam going right through Isoc.

 

“Remind me not to get on your bad side.” Zero mused.

 

“tad two late for that, but let's worry about that later.” Reaper sighed, putting the safety back on and dropping the gun. “Zero I can smell the blood dripping from you, but can't see the wounds.”

 

“Yeah it's a long story.” Zero winced as he unattached the hook.

 

He looked around at the computer, with Isoc staring blankly ahead and being as functional as a 3 ton paperweight.

 

“Don't destroy the computer, just turn it off” Reaper said, “might need that.”

 

Zero sighed, “of course you would.” He unplugged the computer and sat next to her. “Who gave you those bruises?”

 

“The blood vessels bursts when the nanites started attacking my body. I'm covered in these bruises.” She said after a bitter chuckle. “They’ll fade.”

 

“Of course.” Zero smiled softly.

 

“So what now?” Reaper asked quietly.

 

“You are getting medical help and we are going to put this behind us.

 

“Not right now.” She said putting her head on his shoulder and taking a deep breath. “I'm two sore to move.”

 

“Of Course.”

 

Recovery for both of them was a long tedious process but months later they made progress.

 

Reaper stood in the shower, the hot water long since ran out. The running water running down her body was stained red. She sobbed into her hand, as to not disturb Zero, sleeping on their little pull down bed. She smiled despite herself. Zero was so good to her despite everything. Most guys in her life would have left her or worse, cut her out of their lives altogether. She turned the water off, trying to washed the memory of _that_ betrayal away from her memory. She instead focused on tying her hair up, in a perfect little bun. Her green eyes mocked her, her silver hair too. She had such pretty red hair, pretty reddish brown eyes, both clashing with her skin. If the nanites haven't changed her, she would have a beautiful woman.

 

“Re?” A male voice asked. Zero. He gave her a second to wrap a towel around herself before she opened the door for him. He was awake the whole time. He heard, just barely,her crying and listened for her to finish the shower. After an hour and a half, he had to check up on her. When he looked at her, her eyes were bloodshot and her skin was slightly blue. Zero decided that she looked terrible in under three seconds.

 

He grabbed her hand and moved her to the bed before she could blink and went to her closet, just tossing her an old t-shirt and sweatpants. She blinked and put it on. Her hair still in the pristine bun. Zero did not approve and pulled her into a kiss while subtly untangling her hair from her bun.

 

When he was satisfied, he grabbed a blanket and wrapped her up in it.

 

“Z, why-” She asked, her voice muffled by a hug.

 

“You've induced hypothermia.” His voice reaching a small growls from emotion. She shivered from his tone and from the cold, his warmth both being a comfort and burning her skin. She was drifting off in his grip, standing up. Zero sensed and carried her to the bed.

 

Zero fought back a noise from the back of his throat. Reaper was no longer shaking so he open the blanket and just put her under the comforter. Not wanting to leave quite yet, he laid next to her and… Dammit.

 

Raper felt a slight vibration to her right. Coming from Zero, who was avoiding looking at her. She pulled closer to him and began rubbing his scalp, causing the vibration to get louder and audible. He hand stopped and pulled away, just to see what he would do. He put her hand back on his scalp. Zero, in his embarrassment just put his head under her chin as her fingers moved slower and slower, before completely stopping signaling that she fell asleep.

 

Within a year, Trust began to build between them again, a pattern.

 

Reaper stood over her bath tub. She softly kneeled down in the almost red water. Blue eyes looked up at her, expectantly. Grabbing a comb, she chuckled.

 

“It's times like this that make it all worth it.” Reaper whispered.

 

Zero smirked softly before closing his eyes.

“I see what you mean.” Zero’s voice was rasping from the strain of the emotions of the day before. He leaned into her touch against his scalp as she rubbed against it. She smiled and pulled out a piece of metal.

 

A silence passed between them as she continued pull pieces of dead enemies out of his hair. It started out as awkward but grew comfortable as they continued to wade in it.

 

Zero sat up after almost an hour and grabbed her wrist. Reaper tried to hide her flinch, but she failed. Zero waited for a second, letting her relax and releasing her. Reaper bit her lip and look away from him. Zero twisted his back slightly To place a small kiss on her lips. Reaper froze and pulled away, not saying a word. Zero continued to watch her play with his hair in total silence. A small blush rose to her cheeks. Zero smiled and looked up at her and how, despite how she had a scar running right below her left eye going down to her jaw, going down her jawline and to her chin, she was beautiful. Some of the life had faded from her eyes.

 

Zero completely twisted over to lay on his stomach, his hair covering his back.

 

“I don't blame you.” He said, pulling himself closer to you.

 

“It doesn't matter if you do, I blame myself” Reaper sighed as she touched the now faint bruise on her cheek. Her black eye healed an hour ago, but her cheek that wasn't marred by the scar was swollen and a dull purple cover.

 

“Don't it was Isoc’s fault. He got under your skin.” Zero spoke quietly against her.

 

She stroked his hair lightly, lost in thought. Her silver hair was sticking to her forehead from the sweat and the humidity in the room. Her tank top showed more bruises along her arms. And she had a small pair of shorts on.

 

“...we should probably drain the water before it stains my tub.” Reaper said, avoiding the subject. Zero shot her a look and stood up. His slim figure towered over her slightly and she tossed him a light blue towel. Zero got out of the porcelain tub and looked at the water draining from it, the color red from the oil from the kills, and his own mixing with it. There was small scar where the medics had to replace the false skin that the hook shot through. Reaper placed a hand gently on it and Zero put the towel on. He hugged her tightly, the water on his body, making the clothes on her stick to her body.

 

He held her there for a few minutes promising that everything was going to be ok.

 

An hour later they were half-asleep in a pull down bed. Her hair was was a mess and his was braided. Reaper was dozing off, while Zero was running his hand over a recent scar, one that was just under her ribcage curling do wards towards her hip and starting at her spine and ending at her navel. Zero knew it was new because she hadn't had it a couple days ago, when they’d… when he left for a mission, leaving her alone.. Zero grimaced at the thought and pulled her closer. Reaper stirred a little but didn't react otherwise to the movement. With her back facing him, the sleeping position off from its usual as-close-as-possible-to-zero position. Her breathing had slowed, but with her scar being so new, it stopped her breath from being so even. Zero fell asleep listening to her heartbeat instead.

 

Zero woke up and something good was different than when he had gone to sleep. Reaper was under his chin her nose lightly touching his throat. Her legs had tangled with his and she leaned into him. Her pale skin clashed against his tanned skin. She was shivering in her sleep. Zero pulled away from her and stood up. She rolled over to her back, her hair sticking to her face. Zero brushed her hair out of her face. Placing a kiss on her forehead, he put his helmet and armor on before leaving.

 

Reaper had just gotten out of the shower and dressed, her hair wrapped in a towel when Zero came home, his hair tinged pink and bits of metal entangled in his hair.

 

“The tub’s filling up.” Reaper sighed, not bothering to look up.

  
“I'm sure.” Zero said, dryly as he already made his way into the bathroom. Reaper smirked and grabbed a brush.

 

Yeah, they would be fine.

**Author's Note:**

> So this was posted in pieces on tumblr but I decided to put it here.


End file.
